Mexico weekly ledger., 1887-03-17
THE NEW BRIDGE.
RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE CITY
COUNCIL FAVORABLE TO
IT'S ERECTION.
The Bridge, as Heretofore Described,
will Likely be Built at Once.
rwo-Thirds of the City Council Favor Its
Erection-Winseott and Duncan
Opposed Other Matters.

When Mayor Emmons called the
Council to order Monday night, all OF
that body was present. After some
unimportant matters were disposed
of,the bridge question was brought up
by Mr.. Winscott. who, from the
first, seemed opposed to the PROPOSE
ton submitted by the railroads. He
said he favored an iron bridge. if
any, and would be willing for the city
to pay a certain amount for Il struc-
ture of that material. He was decid-
eddy opposed to an appropriation for
the wooden bridge, and thought the
roads would build one when the city
asked them to open the streets closed
under the contract Of 1872, which
expires May 18th, this year.
Bunton wanted TO know how the
city would pay for the bridge at this
time he was in favor of q new bridge
but thought it would do no harm to
put off the building of it for a month
or two, as the old one would last that
long at least.
Mayor Emmons seemed 10 favor
the new bridge; he knew the present
one to be very rotten in some places
and probably unsafe. and should it
fall, the city would be liable for
damages if any accident should
occur.
Jones was of the opinion that if
the city could, consistently, put up
the bridge, it should do so, and
thought it could. He explained that
the amount asked by the railroads,
SS76, would not have to be all paid
ont, as the old bridge was worth,
probably, $500. as old iron and lum-
Der.
Duncan, in a long speech, favored
the bridge, but thought the matter
should be so arranged that the new
Council should pay for 1t.
Ragsdale favored the new bridge
and made 4 motion that the contract,
as drawn up, be ratified by the Coun-
Gil. He received a second from Jones
and the bridge proposition carried as
follows: Yeas-Ragsdale, Jones,
Pratt, Duncan. ~Nays-Winscott,
Bunton.
The contract as drawn up by Mr..
Duncan, is as follows:
Whereas, the officers, agents or
superintendent of the Chicago &
Alton Railroad Company, and of the
Wabash Railroad Company, have
condemned as unsafe the bridge
spanning the two railroads at the
south end of Water street, connect
ing Water street with the north end
of Clark Avenue in the city of Mexi-
CO, and, whereas, the statute makes
it obligatory of railroad companies to
make all needed street crossings in
cities and towns, and said companies
purpose to remove said bridge and
construct a new wooden bridge in
place thereaof at a cost Of $3.50, &C
cording to certain plans exhibited to
US, and said railroad companies fur
propose to let the city hove all ma
terial, both wood and iron, now in the
old bridge, and to have said bridge
carefully taken down and said ma
terial, iron and wood, laid out on the
the side Of the railroad tracks, con-
venlent for the city's use, and said
companies propose to make said
bridge not exceeding six inches higher
in the centre, from the bottom of the
lower stringers of said bridge to the
top of the rails of the tracks, without
increasing the height of the approach
es. Now in consideration Of the
premises and of the benefits to be de-
rived by the city of Mexico and its
inhabitants as we'll as the materials,
iron and wood, contained in the old
bridge as aforesaid. Be 1t resolved.
by the City Council, that the city of
Mexico pay to said railroad compan-
les the sum of eight hundred and
seventy six and %two-thirds dollars
(S876.66 2-3), said sum to be due
and payable when said bridge shall
have been completed by said COM
panies ready to accommodate the
travelling public; and said city further
agrees to have said bridge painted at
its own expense, and all contracts
and agreements heretofore existing
between said railroad companies and
the city r hereby ahrogated and
annuled.
OTHER MATTERS.
1